Saturday, November 10, 2012

NBA Clinging to the '90s

The Los Angeles Lakers fired Mike Brown. Brown had been the head coach for all of last years shortened season and 5 games this season. Some are saying the firing was premature, many had been calling for it since he was hired. I don't really have an opinion on that. I never made up my mind. I just knew he'd be fired eventually so I didn't need to.

Rumors had started well before the firing of the Lakers bringing back Phil Jackson to take Brown's place. The Zen Master has coached more champion NBA teams than anyone and is heralded as the greatest coach of all time. He's viewed as the only guy who could handle the 3 stars currently receiving the majority of the Lake Show's salary. I don't have an opinion on what is best for the Lakers, but as a fan of the NBA, I think it's a bad move to bring him back.

The league is just starting to grow into its own again. It's starting to get back those people who "quit watching after Jordan retired". To bring back the biggest coach of the '90s heyday would be clinging onto those days instead of letting the league grow into the new generation.

Phil Jackson is obviously an amazing coach and may not even want the job. He did cancel a speaking engagement this week, so logic says he's at least going to hear what the Lakers front office has to say.

I understand that the Lakers are a win now team, but so were the Heat. The Heat kept their young coach and didn't win the first season of the assembled super team, but did the next year, so is it really necessary to bring back the Zen Master? I think not.

My opinion is obviously not going to have any sort of merit on this, but I feel like clinging to the '90s could prevent the NBA from growing into what it's on its way to.